District Attorney Collin Sims announces that on April 14, 2026, 32-year-old Henry Leymon Gaines of Slidell, pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges and was sentenced as a quadruple habitual offender to 20 years in the Department of Corrections.
Gaines pleaded guilty before the Honorable Judge Vincent J. Lobello to two counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Methamphetamine) and one count of Jumping Bail. Assistant District Attorneys Tiffany Dover and Shelby Stoop prosecuted the cases.
Gaines’s sentence as a quadruple habitual offender reflects a lengthy and violent criminal history. In addition to his recent narcotics convictions, his prior record includes Possession of Stolen Firearms, Simple Burglary of an Inhabited Dwelling, Aggravated Flight from an Officer, and prior Narcotics Charges.
The first case originated on February 11, 2025, when detectives with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division conducted a traffic stop on a silver Ford van on I-12 near Covington. During the stop, detectives deployed a K-9 unit, which alerted to the presence of narcotics. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed approximately 236.6 grams (over 8 ounces) of methamphetamine packaged in vacuum-sealed bags inside a bucket in the backseat. Following his arrest, Gaines admitted he had traveled to Baton Rouge to purchase the drugs and intended to distribute them in the Slidell area.
While out on bond for the initial distribution charge, Gaines failed to appear for his scheduled trial, leading to the issuance of a warrant for his arrest.
On February 19, 2026, detectives located Gaines traveling as a passenger in a vehicle in the Alton area. During a felony traffic stop, detectives discovered 15.06 grams of methamphetamine concealed in Gaines’s clothing. Notably, Gaines was traveling in the vehicle with a seven-year-old juvenile at the time of the arrest. When questioned about his failure to appear in court, Gaines admitted he jumped bail because he was unwilling to face the prison time previously offered during plea negotiations.
"The defendant’s actions - repeatedly dealing dangerous drugs in our community and then attempting to flee from the legal consequences of his crimes - demonstrate a total disregard for the law," said District Attorney Collin Sims. "As a quadruple habitual offender, Mr. Gaines has proven that he is a career criminal. Our office remains committed to removing repeat offenders from our streets to ensure the safety of St. Tammany and Washington Parish families."
DA Sims would like to thank the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division for their diligent work in both investigations and ADAs Dover and Stoop for the successful prosecution of these cases.
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